Top Challenges PSAPs Face Without NG911 and How to Overcome Them

PSAPs (public safety answering points) are a fundamental and irreplaceable aspect of public safety, ensuring that 911 callers receive immediate help through emergency response. However, many PSAPs and other agencies are still operating on outdated legacy 911 systems designed to meet the communication needs of decades past—long before the era of live data, smartphones, and cybersecurity concerns. 

These traditional systems create significant challenges for PSAPs that can lead to misrouted calls, delays, and limited communication between emergency responders. As more 911 calls come from digital sources and mobile devices, PSAPs need Next Generation 911 (NG911) to meet today's public safety demands. 

In this blog from NGA, we’ll explore the notable limitations of legacy 911 systems and how Next Generation 911 works to solve these issues while improving emergency response. 

Table of Contents: 

1. NG911 and Legacy 911 Systems: Understanding the Difference 
2. Primary Challenges PSAPs Face Without Next Generation 911
3. Outdated Call Routing and Location Accuracy
4. Lack of Real-Time Data Sharing and Multimedia
5. Network Failures and Cybersecurity Risks
6. Limited Interoperability Between Agencies
7. How Next Generation 911 Solves Top Challenges 
8. Enhanced Location Precision and Call Routing 
9. Support for Multimedia and Real-Time Data Sharing
10. More Secure and Reliable Networks
11. Seamless Interoperability Across 911 Agencies
12. Conclusion 

NG911 and Legacy 911 Systems: Understanding the Difference 

To fully appreciate the capabilities and cutting-edge technology of NG911, it’s crucial to understand how it differs from legacy 911 systems. While traditional systems have served American communities for decades, they were designed for an era dominated by analog technology and landline phones. NG911, however, is built to handle modern and future digital communication, boosting the accuracy, speed, and interoperability of public safety. 

Let’s take a look at some of the primary differences between Next Generation 911 and Legacy 911. 

Call Routing: 

• Legacy 911: Calls are routed based on the closest cell tower, which can lead to misrouted 911 calls and delayed response times.
• NG911: Uses geospatial call routing, ensuring calls reach the right PSAP in an instant.

Caller Location Accuracy: 

• Legacy 911: Landline-based location tracking is reliable for home phones but not for mobile callers, even more so when indoors.
• NG911: Uses device-based hybrid location (GPS, WiFi, and network data) to pinpoint a caller’s precise location, enhancing response times.

Multimedia Support: 

• Legacy 911: Supports voice calls only—no way to receive live photos, texts, or video.
• NG911: Enables real-time text-to-911, video, and photo sharing, allowing dispatchers and first responders to see emergency situations as they happen.

Data Sharing with First Responders: 

• Legacy 911: Dispatchers rely on limited voice-only data, providing minimal details to responders.
• NG911: Allows for live data transfer, including caller medical information, live incident updates, and sensor data from smart devices.

Network Infrastructure & Reliability: 

• Legacy 911: Built on copper-based networks, making it vulnerable to cyber threats and outages.
• NG911: Uses IP-based digital networks, providing stronger disaster resilience, redundancy, and enhanced cybersecurity protections.

Interoperability Between Agencies: 

• Legacy 911: Limited communication between PSAPs, fire, law enforcement, and EMS, leading to delays in coordinated emergency response efforts.
• NG911: Enables seamless data sharing across multiple agencies, enhancing collaboration and making emergency response faster.

Primary Challenges PSAPs Face Without Next Generation 911

PSAPs and their personnel are essential to emergency response, but many still rely on outdated infrastructure. Not having the right tools and technologies makes providing fast and reliable emergency response harder, impacting these essential 911 agencies and the communities they serve. 

Below are some of the most significant challenges PSAPs face without NG911. 

Outdated Call Routing and Location Accuracy

One of the greatest weaknesses of traditional and legacy 911 systems is how emergency calls are routed. These infrastructures were designed for landline-based calls, where caller locations were easier to locate. However, over 80% of emergency calls are made from mobile phones or other smart devices, and outdated systems struggle to route these calls with accuracy. 

Problems with legacy 911 call routing:

• Calls are routed based on the closest cell tower, leading to misrouted calls that often delay emergency response.
• Remote or indoor location tracking is highly inaccurate, making it harder to dispatch help to the right place.

Lack of Real-Time Data Sharing and Multimedia

Traditional 911 systems rely on voice calls only—meaning dispatchers have no way to receive multimedia communications (photos, texts, videos) from callers or witnesses.

Why this is a problem:

1. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities have limited ways to reach 911.
2. Dispatchers can’t see real-time incidents, making it harder to evaluate emergency severity.
3. First responders lack real-time situational awareness, putting them at a disadvantage.

Network Failures and Cybersecurity Risks

Legacy 911 systems run on copper-based infrastructure, making them vulnerable to natural disasters, power outages, and cyberattacks.

Major risks:

• Single points of failure cause system-wide outages during critical events.
• Cyber threats like DDoS attacks can overload legacy networks, disrupting emergency response.
• Limited disaster recovery capabilities put entire communities at risk.

Limited Interoperability Between Agencies

During significant emergencies, multiple agencies—PSAPs, fire departments, law enforcement, and EMS—must coordinate together and fast. Legacy systems make this difficult because of incompatible communication platforms.

The result:

1. Slow information sharing between departments.
2. Uncoordinated or delayed response efforts in multi-agency emergencies.
3. Data silos that prevent a full picture of the emergency situation.

How Next Generation 911 Solves Top Challenges 

NG911 is designed to address and solve the limitations of legacy 911 systems while improving emergency response. These improvements allow public safety personnel and first responders to arrive faster while also being better prepared. 

Let’s take a look at how Next Generation 911 solves the top challenges faced by PSAPs. 

Enhanced Location Precision and Call Routing 

NG911 replaces outdated call routing with geospatial call routing, making sure all 911 calls go to the right PSAP in an instant.

• Real-time caller location tracking via WiFi, GPS and GIS, and network data provides exact locations—even for indoor and mobile callers.
• Fewer misrouted calls, reducing response times and saving more lives.

Support for Multimedia and Real-Time Data Sharing

With Next Generation 911, PSAPs can receive and share real-time texts, videos, photos, and live emergency data from callers and first responders.

1. Text-to-911: Allows people with hearing disabilities or those in unsafe situations (hostage situations, domestic violence) to seek help without making a voice call.
2. Live video feeds: Dispatchers can see emergency scenes in real time, enhancing situational awareness and decision-making.
3. Medical data integration: Wearable device data (heart rate, vitals) can be transmitted right to first responders.

More Secure and Reliable Networks

NG911 replaces copper lines with IP-based infrastructure that runs on the cloud. 

By doing so, the system can provide: 

• Stronger disaster resilience with redundant systems to prevent outages.
• Advanced cybersecurity protections to protect against cyber threats.
• Faster response times because of more reliable, high-speed connections.

Seamless Interoperability Across 911 Agencies

NG911 creates a unified digital ecosystem, allowing different agencies to share vital information in an instant and coordinate emergency responses with efficiency. 

1. Law enforcement, EMS, and fire can communicate with ease in real time.
2. Automatic mutual aid coordination accelerates emergency response across jurisdictions.
3. Enhanced data analytics help agencies forecast and prepare for future emergencies.

Conclusion 

PSAPs and other emergency response agencies operating on traditional 911 systems put lives at risk because of communication failures, misrouted calls, and outdated infrastructure. The transition to Next Generation 91 is no longer optional—it’s essential to ensure fast, precise, and secure emergency response. 

Interested in implementing NG911? Connect with NGA today to get started!